dreadful convulsions, before it could enjoy legitimate liberty, and render prerogative subservient to the general welfare of the community.

Elizabeth's economy was a remarkable trait in her character; and it seems to have arisen from the noblest principle-the love of independence. It is difficult, to ascertain the exact amount of her revenue; but it certainly fell short of half a million a year. If we compute that the supplies granted her by parliament, in a reign of forty-five years, were in the aggregate three millions, we shall probably be not far from the truth; and when it is considered what she accomplished with this apparently trivial sum, we shall have reason to applaud that example of her frugal administration, and to wish that it had been perpetually observed.

In a word, when we contemplate the glories of Elizabeth's reign, we forget the foibles incident to humanity. Under her, the navy was raised to a height never known before; and the bravery and skill of her captains, have never been excelled. Navigation and commerce were encouraged, or rather established; and manufactures and elegant arts were brought to some degree of perfection.

Learning, however, did not find her a munificent patron, though her own acquirements were of no ordinary cast. Spenser, the most inventive of English poets, who has immortalized her memory, was long neglected; and after the death of his patron, sir Philip Sydney, was suffered to languish in indigence and obscurity.

CHAP.

THE

CHAP. XIII,

The Reign of James I.

1603.

HE crown of England passed with A. D. the utmost tranquillity, from the family of Tudor to that of Stuart. In James's journey from Edinburgh, all ranks of people flocked around him; and so well was he pleased with the proofs he received of the affections of his people, that in the first six weeks after his accession, he conferred the honour of knighthood on no fewer than two hundred and thirty-seven persons, besides raising several from inferior to higher dignities; and among the rest, his Scottish courtiers were thought to be too liberally noticed.

It must be confessed, however, that James left almost all the great offices in the hands of Elizabeth's ministers. Among these, Cecil was successively raised to the dignity of lord Effingdon, viscount Cranbourne, and earl of Salisbury, and regarded as premier and chief counsellor; but his former associates, sir Walter Raleigh, lord Grey, and lord Cobham, were discountenanced on account of the animosity they had shown against the unfortunate earl of Essex, who had, in some measure, fallen a martyr to his zeal in James's cause.

In the year 1589, James, much against the will of Elizabeth, had espoused Anne, princess of Denmark, by whom he had several children. Thus, the doubts of a succession which had so long tormented the English, were now removed to a considerable distance, and were only liable

VOL. XX.

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to

to be revived by those vicissitudes, from which the human condition is never exempt.

Among the ambassaders who came to compliment the king on his accession, was the duke of Sully, prime minister of Henry the fourth of France, who proposed to James, to join in a league with Venice and the United States, for the attack of the Austrian dominions; but the ruling passion of the king of England was peace, and he declined to enter into any engagements which could disturb it.

Yet James was not long permitted to enjoy that tranquillity which he loved. A conspiracy was soon discovered; the object of which was to place Arabella Stuart, a near relation of the king's, and equally descended from Henry the seventh, on the throne. Sir Walter Raleigh was one of the principals in this plot; and, though he was convicted on incompetent evidence, he was only reprieved, not pardoned, and lay many years a prisoner in the tower.

The religious disputes between the church and the puritans, which had continually been increasA. D. ing since the reformation, induced the 1601 king to call a conference at Hamptoncourt; but James being already prejudiced against the puritanical principles of the Scots, he declared himself on the side of the established church, and often repeated his favourite maxim, NO BISHOP, NO KING.

The learning and eloquence of James were not contemptible; but the one was tinctured with pedantry, the other with affectation. He had succeeded very well among theologians; but when a parliament was called, which had been delayed some time on account of a dreadful plague in London,

London, he found more exercise for his talents, and less success from their exertions.

The principles of liberty, which had sometimes displayed themselves during the reign of his predecessor, having now taken deeper root, were not so easily checked. James, however, made the attempt, and declared to the house, "that all their privileges were derived from his grant, and hoped they would not turn them against him." The commons, in some measure, receded from their pretensions; and though James of his own accord abolished all patents for monopolies, exclusive companies, wardships, and purveyances, remained as a burden upon the people.

An union of the two kingdoms was a favourite object with James, and did honour to his discernment; but the commons opposed it with impolitic zeal, and the business was dropped.

To procure money from the commons was still more difficult, and James, soured with the temper of his parliament, prorogued it with vi sible marks of dissatisfaction. He had the pleasure, however, to conclude a peace with Spain, and therefore supplies were less necessary.

It was at this auspicious juncture of foreign and domestic quiet, that the nation was astonished by the discovery of the "Gunpowder Plot." The catholics, disappointed in their expectations of favour from James, were enraged beyond all measure. Catesby, a gentleman of that persuasion, first thought of an extraordinary method of revenge, which was no other than to blow up the parliament house, when the members should be assembled, and the king opening the session.

This diabolical scheme he communicated to Percy, a descendant of the illustrious house of Northumberland, who being charmed with the measure, they cautiously inlisted some other conspirators, and sent over to Flanders in quest of one Guy Fawkes, an officer in the Spanish service, of whose zeal and resolution they entertained no doubt.

Every thing being concerted, and the conspirators having taken an oath of secrecy, which they confirmed by receiving the sacrament toge ther, a house was hired in the name of Percy, A. D. adjoining that in which the parliament assembled; and finding that a cellar was 1605. to be let under the house of lords, they seized the opportunity of renting it, and forming a communication between Percy's house and it, deposited there thirty-six barrels of gunpowder, which they covered with faggots and billet wood. The doors of the vault were then boldly thrown open, to prevent any appearance of dan ger; and nothing remained, but to watch the opportunity of rendering their horrible malice: complete.

The king, the queen, and prince Henry, were all expected to be present at the opening of parliament; but prince Charles, by reason of his tender age, would necessarily be absent, and him it was intended to assassinate. The princess Elizabeth alone remained of the royal family whom papistical vengeance had not devoted, and it was resolved to seize her, and proclaim her queen immediately after the catastrophe,

Twenty conspirators had sacredly kept this dreadful secret nearly a year and an half; but the same bigotry which had given rise to the plot,